be made of the hard
heavy wood of the coconut-tree, pointed at each end, and varying in
length from five to six feet, with a greatest width of an inch and a
quarter and thickness of five-eighths. The string is a strip of rattan
three-eighths of an inch wide. The arrows are precisely similar to those
used by the Torres Strait Islanders, consisting of a head of coconut
wood, nine to eighteen inches in length, shipped into a light reed 2 1/2
to 3 1/2 feet in length, and secured by a neat cane plaiting. They are
variously barbed on the edges in one or more series, or furnished with
constrictions at short intervals which would cause a piece readily to
break off in a wound and remain there. Some were headed with a piece of
bamboo shaped like a gouge or scoop, and several other varieties were
observed. This is the first occasion of our meeting with these weapons,
which appear almost completely to have superseded the spear of which only
a few small ones were seen in the canoes. In exchange for their bows and
arrows the natives attached most value to articles of clothing of every
description. Glass bottles were also eagerly sought after--but iron was
not prized--indeed its use appeared to be unknown, nor had they any name
for it.

BAMBOO KNIFE.

While leaning out of one of the wardroom ports, and getting words from a
very intelligent native whose attention I secured by giving him various
little presents from time to time, I had occasion to point to a bamboo
scoop* lying in the canoe in order to get its name. The man, to my
surprise, immediately bit off a narrow strip from one side, as if to
sharpen the edge, and taking up a piece of stick, showed me that this
scoop was used as a knife. Not to be outdone I took one of our common
knives and cut away vigorously at a piece of wood to show the superiority
of our knives over his one; he appeared suddenly to become terrified,
talked vehemently to the others, drew their attention to me, and repeated
my motions of cutting the wood, after which his canoe pushed off from the
ship's side. My friend refused to accept of the knife--as I afterwards
found the natives had also done to other people when iron implements were
offered them--nor would he pay any further attention to my attempts to
effect a reconciliation.

(*Footnote. Resembling that figured in Jukes' Voyage of the Fly volume 1
page 277, but smaller.)

NATIVE HAIR-DRESSING.

The greatest peculiarity among these people is their